09 May,2017 12:14 PM IST | Mumbai | Laxman Singh
Stop if you're thinking of taking that selfie in the Humboldt Penguins Centre at the Byculla zoo. Now, you can neither click a photo, nor record a video in the penguin centre
Stop if you're thinking of taking that selfie in the Humboldt Penguins Centre at the Byculla zoo. Now, you can neither click a photo, nor record a video in the penguin centre. In addition, evening walkers will also no longer be allowed inside the zoo.
A proposal to hike the entry fee, with several restrictions on citizen's activities, was tabled before the Market and Gardens Committee, and subsequently cleared on Monday.
According to the proposal, joggers and walkers will be allowed only from 6 am to 8 am, and will have to pay Rs 150 per month. Earlier, they were charged Rs 30 per month. Senior citizens' entry, however, will be free.
The BMC has proposed a 20-fold increase in entry fee from Rs 5 to Rs 100 for adults and from Rs 2 to Rs 25 for children. The proposal will be sent to the Standing Committee for approval and then put up in the civic house for final approval. If it is approved, then in the next one month the hike will be implemented.
The proposal reads that for photography the rates have been increased from Rs 10 to Rs 100, and for video from Rs 30 to Rs 300. However, now taking photos or videos has been completely banned in the penguin centre.
Citizens' groups and 'Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Foundation' are opposing the hike, citing that it will snatch poor citizens' fundamental right to visit the open space. The group had written to the CM and civic chief Ajoy Mehta to stop the hike.
